It's a Love Story
by WritingWings
Summary: This is completely AU, completely fluffy. Kate is a princess of a medieval kingdom and Rick is the town bard. Started out a fairy tale-medieval take on Kate and Castle's relationship. Based on TaySway's "Love Story."
1. Chapter 1

Once Upon A Time, in a far-away kingdom, there lived a princess named Katherine. She was very beautiful and all the people in the kingdom loved her. But not only was Princess Katherine very beautiful, she was also fearless. Her father, the king, had taught her how to shoot a bow and wield a sword, so all the thieves in the land stayed away from her kingdom.

Now, it came about that the townspeople started to worry about their princess, for it was approaching her eighteenth birthday and she had not found her true love yet. Many princes had come courting, but Princess Katherine turned them all down. She found them very dull.

"We must do something to help the princess," everyone said. "She works so hard, she should have a prince of her own." For Katherine's mother had died many years ago, and the young princess had helped her father run the kingdom since that day. So the townspeople fretted and worried and wanted very much for Princess Katherine to find her true love.

There also lived in the kingdom, a young bard named Richard. He spent his days writing poems and stories. All the children loved him and would often seek him out to ask for a story. Richard was handsome and funny and charming. Many of the young women in town thought it would quite a wonderful thing if he would notice them and several of them had enjoyed his favor at one time. But for several years now, Katherine was the object of his affection.

Richard watched the princess from afar, wishing he could approach her. Finally, his chance came. The king invited him to entertain at the Royal Ball. Richard spent weeks writing new poems and stories for the ball. He hoped to impress Princess Katherine and if he was going to do that, his writing had to be perfect. He wrote and rewrote and scratched out and tore up. Nothing seemed good enough for the extraordinary girl he loved.

Finally, the day of the ball arrived. Richard dressed in his best clothes and dithered in front of the mirror for hours.

"Do I look alright?" he asked his mother, Martha. "I mean, I want to the princess to be impressed."

"Darling, you look wonderful. Just be yourself," she advised.

Richard nodded, took a deep breath, and set out for the castle.

* * *

Meanwhile, inside the castle walls, Princess Katherine too was getting ready for the ball.

"This dress will look magnificent with your eyes, m'lady," her maid said, holding up a green velvet gown.

"Yes, of course," Katherine said flatly.

"All the young gentlemen will want to dance with you," the maid continued excitedly.

"Maybe I don't want to dance with them," Katherine muttered, staring out her window.

"What was that, m'lady?"

"Nothing," Katherine lied.

Her maid helped her dress in the gown and braided the princess's hair elegantly.

At that moment, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Katherine called.

The door opened to reveal her father, the king.

"Are you ready, Katie?" he asked. Her father was the only person allowed to call her Katie.

"Ready, Daddy," Katherine replied, forcing her lips to smile. She took his arm and they walked down the stairs to the castle's grand ballroom.

The space glowed with flickering orange candlelight and musicians played in the gallery above everyone's heads. Their melodies ricocheted off the stone walls and floated down to the dance floor, so it sounded as if the sky and stars were singing.

All the guests applauded as Katherine and her father entered. The musicians struck up a waltz and a handsome prince soon claimed Katherine's hand. He lead her around the floor in perfect time to the music. That's exactly the problem, Katherine thought. These princes were too caught up in perfection and rules and propriety. Katherine wanted someone who could make her laugh and sweep her off her feet.

The waltz ended and Katherine curtsied to her partner. Looking around, she saw another handsome young man make his way toward her. Katherine saw, however, as he got closer that he was not a prince; he did not wear a circlet of gold on his head and his clothes were not expensive enough. She recognized him. He was Richard, the bard from town.

"Your Highness," he bowed to her with a flourish, "though I am highly unworthy, I beg you, take pity on a poor fellow and grace me with a dance."

His flowery language made Katherine giggle and she placed her hand in his. Katherine prepared herself to have her toes stepped on, but Richard turned out to be a divine dancer. He twirled her around the floor effortlessly, like she was just a fairy in his arms.

"If I may say, Your Highness," Richard began, "your previous partner seemed a bit dim."

"I'm not even sure if he had a brain in his head," Katherine confided.

"Perhaps, a crazy alchemist stole his brain to make an evil monster," her partner proposed.

Katherine giggled again and Richard smiled. "Or a witch is controlling his thoughts and cast a spell on him that renders him speechless."

This time, Katherine laughed out loud and nearby couples turned to see what caused the princess to laugh.

Katherine blushed and Richard nodded sheepishly to the other dancers.

"You seem to have a great many outlandish theories," Katherine said.

"The curse of being a bard, m'lady," Richard said dolefully.

"You may call me Kate," she said.

"I would not dare take a such a liberty," Richard protested.

"In that case, I command you to call me Kate," Katherine replied imperiously.

Richard still looked doubtful.

"It's exhausting, being called 'Your Highness' or 'm'lady' all the time," Kate explained. "I want someone to call me by my real name."

"Then you must call me Rick," he said.

"Rick," Kate said, as though testing it out.

"Kate," Rick said. He liked the way her name felt in his mouth.

They danced closer without knowing it and they soon found themselves on the edge of the room. The music was faded here and Rick and Kate felt like the only couple in the world. The heat from their bodies mingled and their breath mixed. They stared into each other's eyes and felt themselves pulled closer still. Rick was just about to touch his lips to Kate's when someone nearby cleared their throat loudly.

They looked up to see the king glaring at them.

"Katie," he said sternly, "you're neglecting our guests."

"Sorry, Daddy," Kate stepped quickly away from Rick and curtsied to him formally. Rick bowed to her stiffly in return.

The king turned to leave and Katherine started to follow, but she turned to Richard and whispered, "Don't go. Meet me in the gardens."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Katherine, you mustn't waste your time with that man. You need to be looking for an eligible prince, someone who can help you run the kingdom," her father chided as she walked at his side.

"I know, Daddy," Katherine said meekly.

Her father stopped and looked at her. "I know it sounds harsh, but I won't live forever and you need someone to look out for you."

"Yes, Daddy," Katherine sighed.

The ball lasted late into the night. Katherine spent the rest of the time dancing and making awkward conversations with princes from surrounding kingdoms. But she noticed that Rick stayed and she caught his eye whenever she could.

At last, the party ended and Katherine was free to return to her chamber. She kissed her father good night and allowed her maid to undress her. Then, Katherine dismissed the girl and threw a simple dress over her night gown.

Kate waited to the count of 100, then took a candle and slowly crept through the castle halls to the gardens. She made it safely outside without anyone seeing her, but once outside she realized a fatal flaw in her plan. She had not told Rick where to meet her! And the gardens were huge. She might never find him.

Kate moved slowly along the garden paths, shining her candle into the bushes, looking for Rick. Just when she was ready to give up, there was movement on the path ahead. She held her candle higher and Rick stood on the edge of the circle of light. Kate gasped and Rick stepped closer and folded her in his arms.

"You came," she whispered.

"Always," Rick murmured, stroking her hair. He stepped away and Kate missed his warmth. He slid his fingers down her arm, making her flesh erupt in goosebumps, and laced his fingers with hers. He tugged gently and Kate followed him deeper into the gardens.

"Where are we going?" Kate asked.

"I want to show you something," Rick said. He took her candle and led her by its light to a secluded grotto with a waterfall tumbling from the rocky walls. The flame reflected off the water and wet rocks, setting the whole place aglow with sultry orange light.

"Sit down, Kate," Rick gestured.

Kate sat, her eyes sparkling with joy.

Rick cleared his throat and then began to speak.

_"Who will believe my verse in time to come,_

_If it were filled with your most high deserts?_

_Though yet heaven knows it is but as a tomb_

_Which hides your life, and shows not half your parts._

_If I could write the beauty of your eyes,_

_And in fresh numbers number all your graces,_

_The age to come would say 'This poet lies;_

_Such heavenly touches ne'er touched earthly faces.'_

_So should my papers, yellowed with their age,_

_Be scorned, like old men of less truth than tongue,_

_And your true rights be termed a poet's rage_

_And stretched metre of an antique song:_

_But were some child of yours alive that time,_

_You should live twice, in it, and in my rhyme."_

When he finished, he was blushing, but Kate had tears falling down her cheeks at the beautiful words he had said.

She scrambled up and launched herself into his arms. "Did you write that for me?"

"I had some time waiting for you," Rick shrugged.

"Oh, Rick, it's beautiful," Kate said. She found herself looking into his eyes and it felt just like their moment on the dance floor, when she thought he was going to kiss her. Slowly, they drew closer. Kate's eyes fluttered shut. She felt Rick pause.

"What are you waiting for?" she murmured.

So his lips fell over hers.

Kate had never been kissed like this before. His lips were soft and they fit perfectly against hers. His hands, splayed against her back, pressed her close to him and Kate's hands found their own way into his chocolate brown locks.

Rick ran his tongue over the seam of her lips and then into her mouth, skipping over her teeth and ticklish places she didn't know she had. A too long and too short time later, he broke away, leaving Kate breathless and dizzy.

"You should go," Rick whispered. "You don't want them to discover you missing."

"No," Kate said. "Please, don't leave. I want to stay with you. Please, Rick."

* * *

The poem is Shakespeare's Sonnet 17.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

When the sun rose the next morning, Kate was snuggled into Rick's side, his cloak covering them both for warmth. They stirred at the same time, as the gentle early morning sunlight filtered through the trees.

"Good morning," Rick said, kissing her hair.

"We stayed out all night," Kate giggled.

"Yes, we did."

"We stayed out all night," Kate shot up, panicked. "My father's going to be furious! Maybe I can sneak back in. He might not be up yet...it's still early."

Just then, a voice rang over the garden. "Your Highness! Princess!"

Rick was impressed with the caliber of her swearing.

"Please, Rick," Kate begged. "Get out of here. They can't find you!"

Much as it pained him, Rick obliged. But he gave Kate one more toe-curling kiss before he scrambled off.

Kate was still numb when a footman crashed through the trees to her. "Oh, Your Highness! We were so worried. Everyone's out looking. They'll be so relieved…" the man babbled on, but Kate wasn't listening. "Come along, Princess. We must get back to the palace and let His Majesty know you are alright."

"No. I don't want to go back," Kate muttered absently.

"What?" The footman asked.

"I mean, yes, of course. We must go see my father," Kate snapped herself out of it and marched back to the palace, the footman trailing behind.

* * *

"Whatever were you thinking, Katie?!" the king cried, half furious and half bewildered.

"I don't know, Daddy," Kate lied. "I woke up early this morning and couldn't fall back asleep, and the garden looked so peaceful, so I went for a walk. I'm sorry if I worried you."

"Worried me?! I was going crazy, Katie! You weren't in your room and we couldn't find you anywhere in the castle. Ever since your mother died…" her father trailed off and Kate felt ashamed of all the trouble she had caused.

"I'm sorry, Daddy," she repeated. "It won't happen again."

"Okay. Go get cleaned up. You look like you've been up all night."

Kate froze at her father's words and he noticed. "You weren't, were you, Katie?"

"N-no," Kate's voice wobbled.

"Oh, Katie," he sighed. "You weren't with that man from the ball, were you?" But it wasn't a question.

"His name's Rick," the words flew out of her mouth before she could stop them.

"Katie, Katie," the king rubbed a hand over his face. "You know that there is no place for him in your future. And after your behavior, I have no choice. I'm placing you on house arrest until further notice and you are forbidden to see him again."

"No!" Kate cried. She was immediately filled with the sensation that comes after one is told very bad news. She felt that her insides had been sucked in by a black hole and every pulse of her heart was a little more painful than before.

"I'm sorry, Katie, but you've left me no other option. Now go to your room."

Kate stood motionless for another minute before flying from the room. She pounded through the corridors and slammed into her chamber. She collapsed on the bed, sobbing.

But she couldn't just sit and cry. She forced herself up and went to her writing desk. Dipping her quill in the inkpot, she scratched out a shaking message to Rick.

_"Dear Rick,"_ she wrote, _"My father has forbidden us to ever meet again. He somehow discerned that I had been out all night with you. I'm sorry if this brings trouble to you. Please don't give up; you are everything to me. I will talk to my father. I must figure out a way to make him accept you. Please write back soon._

_All my love,_

_Kate."_

Sealing the letter with a drop of scarlet wax, Kate rang for Roy. Roy was the head steward in the castle and he loved Kate like his own daughter.

When he arrived, Kate pressed the letter into this hands. "I need you to deliver this to Richard, the young bard in town. I trust no one else to do it. And my father mustn't know."

Roy kissed the top of the princess's head. "I'll see to it," he promised. He secreted the letter in vest and gave Kate a wink. Then, he marched off down the hall. Kate watched him go with a shaking heart, hoping against hope that her father would not catch him.

* * *

Just FYI, I do not write smut, so I'll leave it up to your imaginations what they did all night and whether they were clothed in the morning.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The ink on Kate's letter was still damp in places when Rick held it in his hands. His eyes scanned her handwriting with ever increasing speed.

"Thank you for delivering this," he said sincerely. "Just wait a moment and I'll write a reply to her."

_"My dearest Kate,"_ he wrote,_ "I wish I had time to pen another poem for you. I will never give up on you or us. You are everything to me, as well. Don't be afraid, my Kate. We'll make it out of this mess stronger than ever. I love you._

_Rick."_

Rick took a small sheet containing his verse from the garden and folded it up in the letter. He sealed it with a drop of wax and gave it Roy, along with a small coin. "For your trouble," he explained.

Roy stared at it for a minute, then placed it back in Rick's palm. "'Tis no trouble. I am pleased to help you and the lady. You make her very happy, the happiest I've seen her since her mother's untimely passing."

"She makes me happy, too," Rick whispered.

"I will be sure to tell her," Roy smiled, then left.

* * *

Kate paced impatiently for Roy to return. Then, there was a knock at her door.

She yanked it open and Roy looked slightly startled. "Sorry," she whispered contritely. "Did he read my letter? Did he like it? What did he say?" Kate begged.

"He said that you make him happy," Roy reported. Kate looked a little downcast at the vague message. "And he asked me to deliver this," Roy produced Rick's letter with a flourish.

Kate snatched it from his hands and gave Roy an enthusiastic hug. "Thank you!"

Roy smiled at his little princess, so grown up now and obviously in love. He bowed and withdrew gracefully. Kate shut the door behind him, then opened Rick's letter with a crack. His poem fluttered to the floor, but she didn't notice it.

She read his short, but sweet letter several times, then she tucked it under her pillow for safekeeping.

As she turned back, she noticed a little square of white on the floor. She bent over and picked it up. Immediately, she recognized it as Rick's poem from last night. Kate sighed wistfully remembering it. She placed it under her pillow alongside the letter.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Three weeks later, Kate was getting anxious. Rick had not written her another letter or met her in the gardens. In fact, she had not seen or heard from him at all!

She wrote him many times and had Roy deliver them, but he never returned with a letter, only short messages.

Kate was starting to wonder if Rick loved her at all. Her eighteenth birthday was creeping closer and her father was pressuring her to choose from among her princely suitors. She gave half-answers and non-committal noises, but eventually, she would have to choose.

She was pondering which of the princes would be the least horrible husband when something tinged against her window.

Kate turned and looked, but nothing was there. Then, there was another ting.

She went and opened the window and looked down. There was Rick, standing beneath her window, throwing pebbles.

"Rick!" she breathed.

"My dearest lady," he began with his usual flair, "I haven't much time, but meet me in the gardens at a quarter past nine."

He turned to go, but Kate stopped him. "Please wait, Rick! Don't go! What's going on?"

"I'm sorry, m'lady. That's all I can spare. A quarter past nine, I'll see you there."

He disappeared among the garden paths and Kate felt emptier than before he had come, but his rhymes had made her smile. _The curse of being a bard,_ he had said. And she had tonight to which to look forward.

* * *

Kate spent the rest of the day restless, waiting for the clock to strike a quarter past nine, so she could meet Rick. Finally, night fell and the clock struck the ninth hour. Kate dressed in her plainest gown and slipped out to the gardens.

The moon was full, so she didn't need her candle tonight. Her feet crunched along the gravel to the grotto where had Rick had taken her. As she got closer, she saw flickering candlelight. She stepped inside and gasped.

The whole grotto was full of snapping candlelight and Rick stood in the middle, holding a rose.

Kate fairly flew into his arms and he caught her around her waist. He kissed her before she could speak.

"Oh, Rick!" she cried. "I've been so lonely! You haven't written in so long and… my father wants me to choose one of the princes to marry, but I just want you! What are we going to do?"

Rick stepped back, their hands laced between them. He withdrew his left hand, leaving Kate holding the rose in her right hand. She feared she had driven him away, but then, holding her left hand in his, he knelt to the ground on one knee and pulled out a ring.

"Kate," he said. "I'm a writer and I spent hours trying to find the perfect words to tell you how much I love you, but I couldn't do it. But I do love you with everything I have and I will spend the rest of my life trying to make you happy. Will you marry me?"

Kate's hand was pressed to her mouth and her eyes brimmed with tears. "Oh, Rick! Yes, yes, I will marry you!"

He stood up and slid the ring on her left hand and then drew her in and kissed her.

When they had to break apart for air, Kate asked, "But what will my father think?"

"I think he'll be alright with it. After all, he gave me his blessing."

"He did? He's okay with it?" Kate was happily shocked.

"That's why I didn't write for so long," Rick explained. "I was trying to convince your father to let me ask you, but I knew if I wrote to you, I couldn't keep it a secret and I wanted to surprise you."

"It's the best surprise in the world," Kate said, crying tears of joy. She pulled her fiance in for another kiss.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Four months later, the preparations for the wedding were in full swing. Kate had never been so happy in her life.

As tradition stated, she and Rick were getting married on her eighteenth birthday in the castle's main hall. She had a beautiful dress and Rick had ordered new clothes for the occasion as well. Royalty from surrounding kingdoms were invited. Kate thought it would be awkward to have her former suitors at her wedding, but she decided she wouldn't worry about it. This day was about her and Rick.

Finally, her birthday and wedding day arrived. Kate dressed in her white, silk-and-lace dress. A lady's-maid braided her hair elaborately. Lastly, her veil and tiara were set on her head.

Kate fidgeted outside the door to the great hall, the place she and Rick had met. Such a long time ago it seemed! Her bouquet was clutched in her hand.

Her father placed her hand in the crook of his elbow and patted it reassuringly. Then he walked down the aisle to her new husband and her future.

"It's a love story

Baby, just say yes"


End file.
